Method of generating oil-gas for explosive-engines.



FRANK H. BATES, OF ELYRIA, GHR), ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 POWER PLANT ENGINEERING C0., A. CORPORATION OF IPENNSYLV'ANIA.I

' VME'LHOI) 0F GENERATKING OILGAS FOR EXPLOSIVE-EN GINES.

hornear.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 1o, i912.

Application filed July 6, 1908, Serial No. 442,027. Renewed May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,315.

To all whom t may concern: f

Be itknown that I, FRANK H. BATES, a citizen ofv the United States, resident of Elyria, county of Lorain, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvement in Methods of Generating Oil-Gas for Explosive-Engines., of which the following is a specification, the principle of the`invention being herein explained and the best mode in which l have contemplated apply- A.ing that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention nel s to the generation of gas or vapor for eX-plos' relengines, and'` is applicable to hydrocarbons generally.- lt is intended as an improvement-.pover the process for which I was granted Letters Patentof the United States No. 748,687,

ators, each arranged with an inner or vaporizing shell and van -outer or heating shell,

were used reversibly; that is, one 'was used for the first stage of vaporization while the second completed the vaporization of what was formerly a fresh charge, then reversing, and so on. In the practice of gas or vapor generation for explosiveengines, other than that for which Letters Patent have been granted me, oil is passed through a vaporizing chamber of a generator', generally by a tortuous path and in attenuated stream, itspassage serving to expel, for use at the engine, the gas or. vapor, leaving but a slight residue to flow out as waste product.

My present invention provides a process which applies equally to this type yof generator and to those in which a body of'oil is maintained at a rfixed level in the vaporizing chamber. Such present invention kis intended to provide an improved process for Working the oil down closely so as to attain a maximum degree of economy while maintaining more or less constant conditions of gas production in the matter of rate of vaporization and of gas qual-ity.

Since in the generation of gas orl vapor for explosive engines, with generators of the class described, bothl pure oil gas or vapor, and oil or vapor admixed with air| in the vaporizing chamber, are used, according to conditions, it is to be understood that hereafter in eniniin'gthe features of my invenH tion l refer to and imply gas or vapor whether alone or mixed with air a carrier.

To the .-rzsfrouilishzncnt of the above and out of aplant for producing gas from oil,

related objects, said invention then consists of the steps and embodies the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism and modes of operation exemplifying the invention, such disclosed means constii tuting however, but one of several ways in which the principle of the invention may be used. Y

In said annexed drawing The single figure there appearing represents in more or less diagrammatic fashion the general lay embodying my several improvements.

ln such drawing A. represents an oil storage tank which'may be of any convenientsize, the location thereof 'with respect to the rate of the 'apparatus Ibeing a matter of indiiference. From such. storage tank, or reservoir, the oil is designed to be raised through a supply line (t to a series of gas generators C C C2, by means ofa pump B. These three generators are similar, being as shown, of the receptaclel type, wherein is maintained a certain body of oil at all times. Each comprises an outer shell c and an inner shell c, the former affording between its inner side and the outer side of the inner shell, a passage-:tor the heating medium, and the latter providing the receptacle proper for vthe oil to be vaporized. r:lhe outer pas- .sages for the heating medium thus formed in the respect-ive generators, are adapted to be connected in seriesin the line provided for conducting the heated waste gases from theenginc by means of pipes c2. c3 c4 and c5, such gases being received through pipe c2 and discharged by Way of-pipe c5. The oil supplied to the first of the series of generators through supply line o is likewise designed to be conducted serially through the inner chambers of the oil containing receptacles of the resl'iective generators, but 1n a direction opposite to that in which such waste `gases are conducted, and to this end connecting pipes c6, c7 are provided between generators C, C, and C C2, respectively. Such connecting pipes are respectively formed with loops c c by .means of which a predetermined level of oil may be maintained in the chamber next preceding vthe same, said loops having air vents 01 c to prevent siphonic action. Stop valves c19 i and check valves c2c are also provided in the let pipe o16 through which, when desired,

connections in question, the use of which will be obvious. By means of other connecting pipes 012 013 either ofgenerat-ors, C or C may be cut outof the circulation as will be evident, suitable valves being provided in such lines for this purpose. The last gener-v ator C2 of the series is provided with an outthe contents of such generatormay be drawn. l L Q For conducting the vapors arising from the several generatorsto the explosive vengine, each is provided with a pipe c adapted to be connected to a Vcommon line C8, wherein/such vapors are intermixed before they thus reach theengine. This line C3 is branched, and the connection of the respeci tive generators therewith so arranged,'that by means of suitable valves c1s a generator when not in use may be readily cut .off .from

the line in question. The generating chambers or'rereptacles corresponding with gen 'erators C' G, in addition to being connected in the manner just described with the reservoir supply line a, are provided with discharge lines, a a2 leading to' reservoir A, so that if 'desired at any time, a circulation of oil through either or bot-h of said generators may be maintained. `A check valve a3 in the common portion ofthese return lines and.A stop valve a4 1n each of the same respectively,

afford means forreg-ulating or cutting oil' such return flow entirely; the latter as will vas Wno't only may the oil supplied through the' be presently explained is designed to be theV tion of pressure secured inI the manner just described', will enable the oil to flow freely toward the lower check 'valvea until a suii cient amount has accumulated to open the same and allow passage lvinto the tank A.

The supply line a, is also provided with a,

branch al, having a stop valve a8 therein and leading directly to storage tank A whereby pipe be in part diverted to the tank Without passing through the generator at all, but also the proper back pressure be secured to effect a uniform operation of the stop valve a9 in the portion of the supply line between such branch land the generator. whereby the amount ofv oil admitte'd to the generator is y regulated Having thusdescribed the general con'-l 1,oae,541

struction, and incidentally the operation` certain portions of my improved gas geiler?,l

'ator apparatus, the general mode ofv opera-.`

tion exemplified therein, may be readilyset.

forth, A s has been explained, such appa ratus is designed primarily to handle heavy oils such as'those having an asphaltic`base.`

In such instances tlien,.the oilv is pumped into and through the first generator C 'at af' rate dependent on a setting of the control valve a in line a.' ,This oil vwhen assed through suchgeneratpr will lose its igliter constituents, these passing out to the as line C3.' The now slightly impoverishe which a higher temperature is maintained,-

admitted into the second generator" C4 ingo` andwherein the oil in its course through the4 vaporizing chamber parts with more ofits e vapor, such vapor passing outthroigh the 7.,

gas line also, and mingling with thatffr'om the first generator. Finally vthe oil passes through the last generator C2, which-latter being heated to a still higher temperaturdff causes the oil to' give up its remaining vapor@ or'gas. .With certainclasses of fuel the loili will here be evaporated to dryness, the rate of supply of the oil to the rst enerat-or of the series -being regulated to ring about this result. The" gas'from this last-'generator likewise is admiXed-with that from the preceding generator in the common gas line.` Atsuitable intervals this last generator may be cut off or by-passed as it were, by closing .valves c1s el so as to permit the removal of dry residual matter, the plate c normally chamber bein 'covering the outlet Vopening to the generator removed for this purpose.' y

No provision 1s made for by-passing the eX- the exhaust passage. When it is desired to clean the vaporizing chamber of any generator, for example generator C', such generator is simply cut out of theseries by closing the' correspondingvalves 018 and c1, and'opening valve o in ypass iis cts; under this arrangement the two remainf ing generators will be operated in series just asbefore, save that the reduction or evapo- .c

ration' `of the `oil will not beso gradual. However,.it should be explained lthat 'the number of generators need not be limitedto three, for with certain light, volatile oils ist only two might beneeded, whereas'. with@ l heavy oil ofA asphaltic base lfrom' four t would be required; and vwhatever the` riunifber found to give the best-results, anf'xtr rae one-may be included in desinihg the plant to providel for cleaning or'ot In describing the plant, reference'has *beenl er like exigelfr- [cies reducingthe number 1n actual use.

made to the returnfpipe-a e2, whereby au circulation of oil may be maintained through ,all but the last'of theseries of generators, `either singly or together, should this method be found temporarily desirable. This means of temporary operation by a continuous circulation of the oil through the generator and Aoil storage system has been made the subject of a separate application tiled J une 22, 1908, Serial No. 439,727 and so need not be further discussed here.

The advantages attained by the use of a' series of generators connected and operated in the manner hereinhefore described, can be conveniently shown by referring to the results had where but a single generator is employed. Considering an oil having 'an asphaltic hase as being pumped into the vaporizing chamber of such generator and there heated atv rst only suliiciently to throw ofi the lighter vapors, with a generator of moderate capacity this distillation would be complete within a few minutes, at the most; following this the temperature would have to be increased in order to continue the distillation of the now slightly impoverished oil, and this stage would be followed by an-.

other of higher temperature, and so on until the oil had been distilled to a state of impoverishment such as. would make it advisable to discharge it from lthe generator as a waste product. The disadvantages of such a system would be excessive labor, and the necessity of skilled attendance to properly judge as to conditions; also, inability to give a gas sufficiently uniform in quality to permit of regular and eilicient operation of the explosive. engine. On-the other hand, by my improved process, great nicety of opera tion can be obtained with increased economy in the consumption of gas at the engine by` reason of a more uniform product. Each generator being* constantly maintained at its proper fixed temperature, which need not be varied, the product of the several generators will, on proper mixing in the line leading to the engine, be, of uniform quality and quantity. Even the interruption that may be occasioned by cleaning the several generators, occupying but a -few minutes once a day, will not seriously adect the uniformity of results thus secured.

While the process has been herr in described as preferably utilizing different degrees of temperature it yvill be understood that the reaspns foi-'this are chieiiy practical and economical, and not basic, in character. In other words the same temperatures, if given enough time, may suffice to drive oit the heavier vapors as well as the lighter ones and by a proper arrangement of generators be thus adapted to supply the constant volume of gas having a uniform explosive character which itis the object of my invention to produce.

@their modes of applying the principle of LI iny invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the process and apparatus herein disclosed, provided the steps or means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated steps or means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention '1. The method of producing gas from oil, which consists in heating simultaneously a plurality of bodies of oil having different degrees of impoverishment, mixing the vapors thus produced, and maintaining the degrees of impoverishment of the respective bodiesv substantially uniform.

2. rlihe method of producing gas from oil, which consists in heating simultaneously a plurality of bodies of oilA having different degrees of imboverishment mixing the vap`ors thus produced, and transferring oil from one body to another so as to maintain the degrees of impoverishment thereof, respectively, substantially uniform.

3. The method of producing gas from oil, which consists in heating simultaneously a plurality of bodies of oil having different degrees of impoverishment, mixing the vapors thus produced, and gradually ltrans ferring the heavier constituents from the first body to the second, and so on, the degrees of .impoverishment of the re-` spective bodies is maintained substantially uniform. h

il. The method of producing gas from oil, which consists in hea-ting a body of oil, and simultaneously adding lighter oil to, and withdrawing heavier oil from, such body, whereby the degree of impoverishment of the latter is kept substantially uniform.

5. The method of producing gas from oil, which consists in causing the oil to flow serially through a plurality of generators of the receptacle type, adding lighter oil tothe body of oil in each generator,*whereby the degree of impoverishment of such body is kept substantially uniform, and then mixing the vapors thus produced in the several generators.

6. The method of producing gas from oil, which consists in causing the oil to dow se-` rially through a plurality of generators of whereby the receptacle type operating at successively pors thus produced in the severalV gencraters.

Signed by me this 30th da of June, 1908.

FRAN H. BATES. attested by- CHnIs'rrNnans, JN0. l?. Garmin. 

